There was an editorial comment saying "..this could take scores of young men beyond the pale of temptation, as well as adding to their robustness and constitution"
22nd October 1887. First meeting held, West end Hotel Sheffield road Rotherham. Again the Rotherham Advertiser commented, on Nov 26th, "Athletics in Rotherham is looking up in no small degree. The rules and lists of officers are now to hand. The club was started to give healthy exercise to all, and this will consist of cross country runs etc"
10th December 1887. First Cross country run - from the West End hotel. The Rotherham Advertiser commented " A good number of runners turned up to don the jersies. F Beecher and W Copley were despatched as hares at 3:30pm and apretty sight it made, the bright uniforms of amber red and black showing up well in the sunlight. A trail was laid along Sheffield Road to Tinsley turning left at the Plumpers hotel to Brinsworth, where the hares turned for home hotly pursued by G Tattersall".
26th December 1888. First Challenge Cup race held. The race was over 10 miles from Tickhill to Rotherham, the 14 runners travelling to Tickhill in a wagonette. The first runners went off promptly at 11 o'clock ( as they have ever since)." At Maltby 3 of the runners cried enough and were picked up by the wagonette, shortly to be joined by a fourth runner. The scratch man - F P Hague - was running splendidly and passing his men one by one. The first to arrive at the Three Tuns Inn Wellgate was J Linton. Several thousand people watched the finish."
1891 The club was confirmed as an amateur club. Several professionals decided to leave.
1892 Club colours changed to dark blue shorts and white shirt.
1894 Club colours changed to black shorts and white vest.
1895 First running of the Doncaster to Rotherham road race. The fastest time was set by T Levers in 1 hour 3 mins and 3 secs.
Rotherham Harriers first winners of the Sheffield and District cross country championships.
1898 Club informed that the sub headquarters (The Sportsman Inn, Parkgate) has installed electric lights.
1900 Juniors win the Northern CC championships.
1901 G Coles is the first club member to win the Yorkshire CC championships.
1903 Club colours changed to black shorts and black vest with white trim and a seven pointed star on the left breast.
The club organises the first Athletics sports meeting - in the West End Hotel cricket ground. These were a great success with 250 competitors, £100 in prize money and 3000 spectators.
Rotherham is asked to host the Yorkshire, Northern and National CC Championships.
1905 G Coles again wins Yorkshire CC championships
1910 Club subscriptions set at 2 shillings (10p)
1912 New record set for the Doncaster - Rotherham road race 1hr 1min 17secs by A McMillan
Sprinters J W Fenoughty and A Steer compete in the Olympic trials.
1914 Yorkshire CC championships held in Thrybergh Park. Not held again until 1920 due to outbreak of First world War.
1931 Jimmy Clay breaks the Doncaster - Rotherham record, 1hr 44secs. 1920's Pictured right is Horace Porter, and judging by the impressive display of trophies and prizes, a successful sprinter with the club during this period. Horace (dob 15/10/1904) lived in Effingham St, He was a herbalist and ran Porter's herbalists shop.
The photo was supplied by Horace's
grandson, Neil Porter. Neil is a runner and member of Swindon Harriers.
The rose bowl and one of the clocks are still in the family household.
The photograph on
the right is of W T Edwards, as the vest shows he was the club captain.
The medal was presented in 1926.
The photo & information was supplied
by Lynne Adams his grandaughter
1932 Ladies section formed.
Frank Wildsmith wins the Challenge cup ( White Lion Inn College road to
Chapeltown and back, 10 miles). 53mins 54 secs.
1933 Hiking section formed - "to keep members together during the summer
months".
1935 R Gale wins NCAA high jump, with 5ft 9 inches.
1937 Challenge Cup race distance reduced from 10 to 6 miles. The event also
moved to Christmas day. Winner Brian Steeple.
Membership reaches 100 for the first time.
1938 Club HQ moved to Herringthorpe pavillion.(The current location -
Herringthorpe stadium is some distance to the East of the pavillion)
The pavillion was used as the race HQ for the Challenge cup until 2003 when
the building condition became so bad it was no longer usable.
1939 Council provide track on Herringthorpe fields
Half the fields are used to grow food crops due to the war shortages.
1940 German bomber raid knocks Challenge Cup off the sideboard in the Wilton
family home,bending the stem and breaking the figure off the top.
22 club members away on active service.
1942 AGM reports a trading loss of £3 - 19s - 9d, due to postage costs of
sending newsletters to members on active service.
1944 36 members away on active service
1945 Members F Bashforth & J Wilmott killed in action.
1946 RV Hughes becomes the first club International.
1947 Rotherham Harriers v German PoW athletics match (RH lose).
1950 All club records broken. An indicator that the "Glorious
fifties" era at the club was about to start.
1951 We win the Sheffield & district and Yorkshire CC champs . 2nd in
Northerns and 3rd in Nationals.
1952 M Jackson, P G Wood & D Foster make up one third of the Yorkshire
team for the Inter counties CC championships.
Arthur Oxley wins the Yorkshire junior mile championships.
Club has 419 members.
1953 We win the Sheffield & district and Yorkshire CC champs . 2nd in
Northerns and 5th in Nationals.
1955 Peter Cullen breaks the national and Empire records for the javelin, and
gains international honours.
Eddie Kirkup wins Yorkshire and Northern marathons, and Morpeth to Newcastle
road race.
1956 Alan Simpson wins Sheffield & district boys CC championships.
We win the team event in the Morpeth to Newcastle road race, with Eddie Kirkup
the overall winner.
Peter Cullen selected for the Olympic team for the Melborne games. The first
Rotherham athlete to do so.
1957 Alan Simpson wins Sheffield and district youths championships.
Maurice Jackson makes his 8th consecutive appearance for Yorkshire in the
Inter counties CC.
Peter Cullen improves his national javelin record to 236 ft 7 inches.
Eddie Kirkup wins the Yorkshire and national AAA marathon titles.
1958 Alan Simpson again wins Sheffield & district youths CC champs, and
places 4th in Northern CC champs.
Eddie Kirkup wins his third Morpeth, and we win the team prize.
AGM reports highest ever bank balance at £60-7s-8d.
1959 Chris Fleming Smith wins AAA marathon champs.
Herringthorpe track and stadium opened.
Alan Simpson sets a new British record for 2000m.
Peter Wood sets new record for the Doncaster - Rotherham race with 58 mins
18secs.
1960 R Dungworth wins the National youths CC title - the clubs first national
CC champion.
1961 Club completes the John o' Groats to Lands end relay 850 miles in 85
hours 55 mins.
Ralph Rowbotham wins Yorks 200yds title.
1962 Gillian Wood wins the Yorkshire schools 100 yds.
1963 Alan Simpson wins 1500m world championships.
1964 Alan Simpson places 4th in the 1500m Olympic final in Tokyo.
1965 Alan Simpson sets new indoor 5000m world record; 13:58.4, also breaks the
UK record for the mile twice taking it to 3:55.3.
Alan wins Northern 3 miles champs.
1966 Alan Simpson finishes second in Commonwealth games 1500m, and fourth in
the European 1500m final.
1968 Angela Creamer joins, aged 12.
1969 A McMillan ( who set the new course record for the Doncaster - Rotherham
race in 1912) turns up at the club and agrees to pay 5 years back
subscriptions.
Syd Garner - the club secretary, dies- after almost 35 years in the role
Ralph Rowbotham takes over as club secretary - a position he was to hold for
29 years
1973 Ralph Rowbotham devises the first of the Round Rotherham Runs. A 50
mile event which follows the borough boundary.
1975 Peter Elliott joins, aged 12.
Angela Creamer is the AAA's 800m champion.
1976 Angela Creamer again wins the AAA's 800m, and sets a new PB finishing
fourth in her heat of the Olympic games 800m in Montreal.
We stage the AAA's marathon championships.
W (Billie) Burns wins the national o/65 veterans CC champs. Billie won the
1931 challenge cup race
1977 Peter Elliott wins English schools 800m and Cross country events.
1978 Peter Elliott sets UK u15 best time for 800m 1:51.2.
1979 Peter sets new UK u16 best time for 800m 1:50.7. Also wins AAAs U17 800m
in 1:55.6.
Brian Harney sets new Pennine Way record of 72 hrs 42mins.
1980 Peter Elliott wins national youths CC champs and AAA's junior 800m.
1981 25 members complete the London marathon
Peter Elliott wins Northern 800m.
First Prince of Wales Half Marathon on Royal Wedding Day
Rotherham marathon, 20th September, entry fee £1. Set at a very competitive
rate, but higher than the Barnsley marathon later that year with an entry fee
of 60p. Malc Palfreyman finished 3rd in the RH event in 2:34.49. Peter
Humphries ran 2:59.56 (for 71st position!).
We gain promotion to Northern League Division 2.
1982 Peter Elliott wins AAA's 800m champs.
Tony Leach wins intermediate English schools 3000m title in 8:31.8.
Winter Time trails prove very popular. 197 runners take part in one or more
events. Tony Leach wins the series with 3 runs of 19:40,19:55 and 19:43.
Tony also wins the Isle of Man Easter Festival of Running youths fell race in
a new record time of 17 mins 12 seconds.
Our O/50 team of E Kirkup, G Eden & D Creamer wins the Yorks XC veterans
title
Henry Marston wins the Doncaster Plant Works 24 hour race, running 130 miles
300 yards.
Gavin Lee wins Colts Yorkshire Cross Country Champs.
Tony Leach sets a new record for the Yorkshire youths 1500m, his time of
3:59.1 being 5 secs faster than the previous record.
1983 Tony Leach wins senior English schools 1500m title in 3:49.6
Peter Elliott wins European Indoor
Silver Medal in 800m, 1:47.58
We stage the Yorkshire womens CC
champs in Clifton Park.
117 runners complete October 4 mile
time trial. 1st Peter Neal 20:10, 2nd Paul Venables 20:23, 3rd Alan Gregory
20:35. 44 runners run under 24 minutes!
Alan Jones wins the Club 10 mile
champs. in 51:54. 2nd Paul Hunter, 3rd Frank Taylor.
91 runners complete the clubs
Tickhill 10 race. Winner Paul Hunter 51:14.
1984 Sue Earnshaw wins the English schools junior100m, and the Yorkshire 100m.
Placed third in the AAA's 100m champs.
103 runners complete Tickhill 10.
Winner Peter Neal 50:44
96 runners complete the Club 10
mile race. Winner Paul Venables 52:40.
1985 Sue Earnshaw wins the English schools 100m, the Yorkshire 100m and 200m.
1987 Peter Elliott wins World Championships 800m Silver medal in Rome
Sue Earnshaw is English schools
captain
1989 Cliff Williams wins Northern 800m champs.
1990 Peter Elliott wins 1500m Commonwealth Gold Medal, Auckland NZ
Peter sets new 1500m Indoor World
record, Seville 3:34.20 February 1990
Dean Mellor wins Northern Pole
vault champs with 4m 90cms.
1993 Dean Mellor, Linda Stanton (Pole vault), Vikki Schofield (Heptathlon) are
all Northern Champions.
Our veteran men 0/40 team wins the
Yorkshire Vets Road relay championships at Methley near Castleford.
Alan Gregory 12:45 (1st), Steve
Gaines 13:00 (1st), Peter Morris 12:48 (1st) & Chris Beighton 12:33 (1st)
1994 Linda Stanton wins bronze medal in AAA's Pole vault (Event introduced in
1993)
Steve Rowbotham wins Northern Long
Jump champs.
Vikki Schofield again wins Northern
heptathlon champs.
The men 0/40 team retain their YVAA
road relay title, beating Leeds and Sheffield.
Gill Bunker (Taylor) 16:25 (1st), Hillary Garrison 15:53 (1st) & Caroline Boyd 15:52 (1st and fastest)
1996 Linda Stanton again wins bronze medal in AAA's Pole vault
1998 "Bert" Norburn takes over as club secretary.
Dave Tune wins Northern Cross Country champs at Heaton Park Manchester
The mens O/40 vets team place third in the national road relays at Aldershot.
2001 Rob Watkinson wins his first (of three) Northern 800m championships.
2003 The first Club website is launched
2004 Rob wins the Northern 1500m title
Natalie Grant gains Schools International selection
2005 Natalie Grant gains Schools International selection
2006 The Under 17 womens team win Yorkshire , Northern and National XC
titles.
New website launched in
March
Amber Merrills wins English Schools
Junior Girls Shot, Gateshead, 11.15m
Jenny Blizard wins GB International
selection for the Ekiden relays Japan.
2007 The under 17 womens team again win the National XC team title.
All four scorers finish in top 20, a tremendous performance.
We have the 1st, 2nd & 3rd runners in
the Yorkshire Track U17 1500m championships, Robyn Lanceley, Stef Burns &
Laura Spence.
Jon Thewlis wins GB & NI
selection for the U23 team for the European Champs in Hungary, at 5000m.
The U20 women's team of Rosie
Edwards, Natalie Grant & Klachen Cheshire wins the silver medal at the
National Cross Country relays at Mansfield.
Despite the worst weather for some
years, the 25th running of the Round Rotherham Run attracted the biggest field
to date. 209 individuals and 26 relay teams finished. 45 individuals had
to retire - in the main due to the awful rain and wind.
2008 The U17 women's team win the Yorkshire XC team gold
medals for the 3rd year running, this year finishing in the first 3 positions:
Steph Burns 1st, Robyn Lanceley 2nd, & Laura Spence 3rd. The same
trio, with Abbie Vernon also won the Northern U 17 team event. The U20 women's
team won the Northern XC team event, with Rosie Edwards (2nd), Natalie Grant
(3rd) Klachen Cheshire (8th) and Jade Allen (14th).
The club has 10 athletes appearing
at the English Schools Track & Field Championships, with 3 medalists:-
Abdi Ahmed, 1st in the senior boys 3000m, Kelly Pagdin, 2nd in the Senior
girls Javelin, and Amber Merrills, 3rd in the Intermediate Girls Shot.
Natalie Grant selected for the England Junior Cross country team in
Dour, Belgium.
Rotherham H &AC win the SY XC club trophy - the first time for 10 years
that any club has beaten Hallamshire Harriers.
2009 Rotherham hosts the YCAA Cross Country
Championships at Winterhill. Under 13 boys team win the team award.
The U20 womens team retain the Northern Cross Country Championship title (Klachen
Cheshire, Natalie Grant, Jess Fawcett & Laura Spence) at Sherdley Park
Malcolm Fletcher (Northern Athletics President in 2009) presents the
awards to the team.
Natalie Grant selected for the England Junior Cross country team in the
Cinque Millini event in Milan.
Mark Ward wins British Masters Indoor titles at 400m & 800m.
Mick Marsters wins Yorkshire o/60 cross country title at York, Mick ,Bob
Tintinger and Terry Hawley win the team title.
Mark Ward wins British Masters Outdoor titles at 400m & 800m, in
Birmingham, and places 4th in world vets 400m final (50.13secs PB) in Lahti,
Finland.
Alex Kiwomya wins Northern & National indoors U15 60m titles, and ESAA
200m title (22.66s)
Rotherham H &AC retain the SY XC club trophy.
2010
Alex Kiwomya wins Aviva England Indoor U15 60m and 200m, setting new
championship best times for both distances (7.05s and 22.15s)
Natalie Grant wins Northern U20 women's Cross Country Championship at Witton
Park Blackburn
Alex Kiwoma wins ESAA Junior Boys 200m title.
Alex wins the national U15 100m title in 10.98s, and Ben Shields wins the
bronze medal in the U17 mens 100m with the same time.
Sadly; Ralph Rowbotham - Club stalwart for over 60 years, dies on 14th Sep.
Rotherham win the SY Cross Country team championship for the 3rd year in
succession.